


Fool me once, Curse on you...

by Biekewieke



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Awesome Friend Finn, Awesome Friend Poe, Bad Decisions, Be Careful What You Wish For, Blood, Curses, Did I Mention Angst?, Doctors, Drunk Rey, F/M, Hospital, Hospitalisation, Idiots in Love, Ignorant dummies, Jealous Ben, Lots of Angst, Magic, Maz helps, Pining, Protective Ben, Roommates to lovers, Surgery, The Force is an Asshole, Witchcraft, angry rey, black magic, excessive bleeding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:48:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27049705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Biekewieke/pseuds/Biekewieke
Summary: Based on the twitter prompt, gratiously provided by @galacticidiots" He betrayed her. He said it was "for her own good", but Rey knew it was a lie. Nobody puts anyone else's needs above their own.So she cursed him. Whatever he loved most in the world, he would lose.Nothing happened at first.Then slowly, Rey started to bleed. ">
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 20
Kudos: 94
Collections: Galactic Idiots Collection





	Fool me once, Curse on you...

**Author's Note:**

> Hi dear Reader! 
> 
> I came across this prompt on twitter and I just could NOT get it out of my head.  
> After three weeks of struggling, I finally caved and sat down to write this story.  
> I hope you enjoy it as much as I loved writing this! 
> 
> Big shoutout to the magnificent Namesonboats for being a wonderful beta!  
> You rock! and I am so happy I got to know you a little! I owe you bigtime!!!

“I hate you!” 

Rey’s scream rang through the apartment.

Ben stood in the middle of the living room, his hands on his hips. Why the hell didn’t she see it as he did? As everyone else on this godforsaken planet did? 

“Oh, please!” he countered, his temper getting the best of him yet again. “You know as much as I do that the guy was not Mr Right for you. I did you a favor by exposing him.”

“A favor?” It was a wonder that the picture frames didn’t tumble down the walls from the way she bellowed. “How on earth am I supposed to see what part of driving away someone I care about, someone I could actually see myself building a future with for the first time in ages, is considered a favor?” 

“Rey, seriously. Hux is not the right guy. The only thing you two have in common is the fact that you’re British.” 

“How would you know how much we do or do not have in common? You met him three times! And what in the blazing dickens gives you the right to interfere in my life anyway?” 

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose and prayed for patience. After taking a few deep breaths, he shoved his hand through his hair and glared at her. 

“I’m sticking to my point of view. The guy is not your match. You really shouldn’t waste your time with weasels like him. I did it for your own good.”

Rey’s eyebrows threatened to disappear into her hairline. 

“My own good?” Her mouth opened, her eyes widened and she nodded slowly. “Now I see. I’m fairly certain you expect me to be grateful, since I am obviously so incapable of taking care of myself. So I might as well just say it. Thank you, Ben. Thank you for so very diligently ruining my life.” 

Ben sighed and glanced away for a split second while Rey kept staring daggers at him, thanking her lucky stars she wasn’t in the kitchen when this fight erupted, or she would have taken a knife and stabbed him for real.

“I think we both may need a little time to cool off. It’s impossible to discuss this like adults when we’re both this angry. I’m going over to Poe and Finn’s for a while.” 

“Oh, I am not angry, Solo.” Rey narrowed her eyes. “I'm livid. And I promise you, as I live and breathe, I will get back at you for this.” She pointed her finger at him and continued in a low and menacing tone. “But you’re right. It’s best if you leave. As far as I’m concerned, you don’t even have to come back. Ever.”

“You don’t mean that.” Ben’s dark gaze grew wide but the stubborn set of his mouth remained. 

“Yes I do.”

“Right.” Ben’s voice sounded empty and deflated. “Fine. I’ll be across the hall if you change your mind.”

“I won’t. Now get out.”

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity before either of them moved.  
Ben was the first to break the impasse. He nodded at her curtly, then turned around and walked out the door. 

Rey turned around and picked up the glass she’d left on the coffee table. She pulled back and threw the glass against the wall as hard as she could, screaming at the top of her lungs.  
Sinking down on the couch, she wrapped her arms around her waist and gave in to her tears. 

_Damn him. Damn him straight to hell!_

Rey hated him. The bastard was trying to ruin her life. Why else would he do a thing like that? 

She’d gotten home an hour ago, happy and excited as could be. She was going to meet up that very night with Armitage Hux, her new beau, to celebrate their three-month anniversary.  
Sure, it wasn’t as if they’d be celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary, but everybody had to start somewhere, right? 

  
Rey had met him three months ago during a party at the Tico’s. It had been Paige’s birthday bash, and Rey wouldn’t have missed it for the world. They’d been introduced through Finn and Poe, who knew him from way back when they’d served together in the First Order Division, and she’d been duly charmed.  
  


The fact that he was a Brit was a pleasant coincidence. He’d asked for her number, and called her the next day. They’d gone out for tea and cakes and that’s where their romance started. 

Until about an hour ago. 

Ben had put an end to her dreams. 

As Rey was walking out of her bedroom, wearing her little black dress reserved for special occasions, Ben got home.  
He asked her why she was all dressed up and she’d answered him with a sly little smile, no doubt telling him without words that someone was going to get very lucky tonight… 

Ben’s face blanched and he scratched the back of his neck, like he always did when he was about to talk about something uncomfortable. 

That’s when he dropped his little bombshell. 

Armie was seeing someone else behind her back. 

Not just anyone, either. He was seeing Gwen Phasma.  
  


The head of the HR department at Exegol Corp.  
  


_Her superior._

Ben proceeded to show her pictures and screenshots from texts he’d had with Hux. They’d been chatting for a while now. Basically, Ben had tricked Hux into speaking freely with him. So when Ben had dropped hints here and there that Phasma liked him, he’d apparently listened. Ben had set them up together by giving Hux her phone number.  
As she read Armitage’s thank you message to Ben, Rey’s stomach churned. 

Armie had betrayed her.  
  


Both of them had.  
  


But Ben’s betrayal was worse... 

When her tears had dried, her resolve was set. She grabbed her bottle of wine and padded barefoot into her bedroom.  
  


Sitting in the middle of her bed, she grabbed her laptop and started googling. As she drank straight from the bottle, she typed in several searches. 

**How to get revenge on someone?**

_too vague._

**How to destroy someone?**

_Still too vague..._

**How to curse someone to never find love?**

_hmmm… closer, but not quite right either. He needs to really suffer, like I am._

**How to curse someone to lose what they love most?** **  
**  
_Bingo!_

Rey found a search result that led her to a site where casts and spells were explained. She wasn’t too sure she believed in witchcraft or spells, but at this very moment she was both too drunk and too angry to let that tiny detail bother her much. How hard could it be? And what were the chances of it actually working? As she read the spell, something inside her danced with giddy excitement. 

She quickly scanned what was needed for this specific spell: some fire,some incense, a picture of the enemy, and their full name. The curse had to be cast during a black moon, on a Saturday or at night.

  
Rey smirked. 

  
It was a good thing that they had been roommates for so long. She knew his full name. There were several pictures of him across the apartment. 

Another evil smile graced her lips. 

Today was a Saturday night, and another quick online search confirmed that it was, in fact, a black moon. It seemed that the gods were on her side for once. 

She took another long swig from the bottle and got to work. Rey practically flew about the apartment to gather all the things she needed. She then went back into her room, locking it just in case. 

She lit a candle and some incense she had once bought on a whim. Rey then proceeded to imagine Ben in front of her and let all her anger course through her. As she imagined Ben’s face, his so-called righteousness and his claim that he was being altruistic did the trick. All of her anger and her pain morphed into a full-scale rage, unlike anything she had felt before. Rey stared at the picture and took a deep breath.  
  


In a loud and clear voice, she spoke the words she had committed to memory. 

“Dear Goddess, do you hear my cry?

For Benjamin Organa-Skywalker Solo to suffer every day

Rather than wishing that person to die, please make him feel what I feel

Make his heart full of blue

And take away what he loves most

Leave him a life of suffering and depression

Can you hear my prayer?

Then mote it be”

Rey held the picture to the flame and watched with a wicked glint in her eyes as the fire consumed Ben’s image, letting it fall into a bowl to burn up further. When the flames died and there was nothing left but a small pile of ash, Rey let out a giggle. 

As she lay down on her bed, still clad in the little black dress, a final thought was accompanied by a deep feeling of satisfaction.

_That’ll teach him…_

  
  
  


“When are you going to stop fighting the obvious? It’s clear to everyone around how you feel, Ben. So why don’t you just tell her?” Poe slurred. 

  
“Tell her what, exactly?” Ben bit out. 

“Tell her you love her, you big dumbass.” Finn clamped his hand on Ben’s shoulder, squeezing it for good measure. “What do you have to lose? For Maker’s sake, we’re so goddamned sick of your pining.”

“What I have to lose, Finn?” Ben whispered, his heart in his throat. “How about everything?” 

Finn and Poe made a disgusted sound, but he continued with conviction. “If I tell her I love her, it’ll ruin everything.”

“No, it won’t.” 

“Yeah, it will!” his voice rang loud in the sudden silence. Poe and Finn’s eyebrows shot up. “It’ll mess everything up. She doesn’t feel the way I do, and I’d rather have her as a friend than botch up by letting the cat out of the bag.” 

“Ben,” Finn scooted a little closer and put his hand on Ben’s thigh, “if you don’t tell her, then this has to stop. You are torturing yourself and hurting Rey by not giving her a real chance to be happy with someone else.” He narrowed his eyes and spoke in a voice that was barely above a whisper. “You ran off her boyfriend, Ben. And this isn’t the first time you’ve done that.” 

Ben swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing slowly in his throat. Finn was right. He _had_ been running off the men Rey had been seeing. 

Some, he ran off unconsciously, by being his own intimidating self. Those men had gotten the idea that he and Rey were closer than they were. He didn't mind that much. 

Then there were the idiots, who couldn’t see what a gorgeous, beautiful, smart and capable woman Rey was. How absolutely perfect she was. They bolted on their own volition.  
  


That was easy. Less hassle for him.  
  


_But Hux…_

Hux had been adamant. He’d stuck around much longer than they usually did. And some insane part of Ben hadn’t been able to stand it. He’d tried to discourage _Armie_ in a thousand little ways, but the guy wasn’t fazed in the least. 

  
When Rey had told Ben that Hux had picked her up from the office to go on a picnic, Ben had absolutely had it. Every damned jealous bone in his body protested loudly, and he found himself texting Hux. One thing led to another, and Hux had admitted that he thought Phasma was hot. 

  
Ben had seen that as his one chance and pounced on it. Any guy who had difficulty to choose between Rey and any other woman in the world was nothing more than a cad and a scoundrel and deserved whatever comeuppance they were in for.  
  


The choice should have been easy. 

  
_It shouldn’t even have been a choice at all…_

  
He would prove that to Rey. Come hell or high water.

With agonizing patience, he’d managed to instigate more than a fair share of interest on both parties, and at a certain point, Hux had asked for Phasma’s phone number, which Ben had gladly given.  
  


They obviously hit it off and Hux had texted him back, thanking him profusely. So, instead of going on a hot date with Rey, he was actually using that same dinner reservation to wine and dine Gwen Phasma.

Ben couldn’t remember which part of him had thought that Rey would be glad to be rid of Hux, but he was obviously mistaken.  
  


He had never seen her so upset.  
  


The idea that she really cared for Armitage was sickening, but the guilt was starting to creep in. Maybe he should have stayed out of it. As much as he had tried to prevent Rey from getting hurt, he’d ended up being the one who had caused her pain. 

“I don’t know what to do anymore,” he whispered miserably.

Poe got up and walked over to him. He got down on his knees and stared Ben straight in the eye. 

“Tell her how you feel.”

To Ben’s dismay, a tear slipped down his cheek. 

“And if she hates me? Then what?” 

“Even more than she does right now?” Poe smiled crookedly. “Trust me, when you tell her, a lot of your conduct will make sense. My gut tells me that it’s not just one-sided, but we’ll never know unless you confess.” 

“I agree with my man.” Finn chimed in for good measure. “Now, I think it’s best if we all go to sleep. I’ll get you some blankets and a pillow. You can crash here. You’ll probably have more luck with your girl when she’s had a bit of time to cool off.”

Ben nodded once. Not long after that, he found himself asleep, with restless dreams full of foreboding clouding his consciousness.

  
  


Ben woke up the next day, the clock indicating that morning had come and gone already. It was near noon. The whole situation had him feeling like a truck had run him over.Multiple times. 

  
He wasn’t used to sleeping on a couch, and certainly not a lumpy love seat seemingly made for kids. He had slept fitfully, twisted like a pretzel trying to fit on the tiny piece of furniture, and the fact that he was worried about Rey didn’t exactly help either. 

  
In the two years they had been living together, he had never seen his roommate this angry or upset. 

So, yeah… Maybe he had gone a little too far by hooking up her _boyfriend_ with her boss, but he was pretty good at sizing people up, especially other men, and he knew Hux was a piece of shit. 

_Or that could be your own personal and biased opinion…_ The voice inside his head taunted him. 

Ben sat up and stretched, his joints popping loudly as he did so. A low groan escaped his lips as he rubbed his hands over his face and pushed them through his tousled hair. The beginnings of a hangover pounded in his head. Ben remembered the numerous beers Poe and Finn had provided him with, and flashes of their conversation last night. 

  
He heaved a big sigh and shoved his hand through his hair again. As he got up, he straightened the blanket and pillow. He started clearing the coffee table in absolute silence, determined to thank them for their hospitality.  
  


When they woke up half an hour later, lunch was already on the table. 

“So, have you decided what you’re going to do?” Finn asked as he chewed on his scrambled eggs.  
  


Poe looked up at Ben from beneath his lowered lashes, and Ben could just feel his need to reaffirm his opinion. However, he’d had a bit of time to think about it in between the weird dreams and sleepless moments. 

“Actually, I have. And I have to admit that both of you are right.” 

Both his friends’ eyebrows lifted in surprise. 

“Well, I never thought I’d see the day…” Poe’s voice trailed off and he stared at Ben with open scepticism. “I should call your mom. She’ll be so happy you’re finally starting to wisen up.”

Ben rolled his eyes at the old threat. 

“Leave my mother out of this, Poe.” He sighed and pushed his eggs around his plate. Still keeping his eyes downcast, he continued in a soft voice. “Rey deserves to know. And I need to get it off my chest. If she ends up hating me, at least I know that I tried.”

“You’re doing the right thing.”  
  


Ben looked up and stared into Finn’s dark eyes, his gaze full of understanding and empathy. 

“Thanks.” 

Finn then cracked his wide signature smile and with his usual sense of humor.  
  


“I’m glad we got this sorted. Now finish your lunch and get the fuck out of here. The future awaits.”

Ben grinned despite himself. 

“Yes, Sir. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


When Ben entered the apartment, the first thing he noticed was the mess. 

  
Their usual tidy home was a fucking pigstye.  
  


The cushions from the couch were scattered everywhere, the kitchen looked like it had been ransacked, there was broken glass near the dining room table.  
  


Panic engulfed him, but he tried to remain calm. Losing his shit wouldn’t help anyone. 

“Rey?” 

  
His voice echoed oddly in the silence. Fear clawed at his gut, worry for Rey growing with every passing second.  
  


Instinct told him to check her room. He moved quietly and called out again. 

“Rey?” he said as he knocked on her door. “Are you in there?”

_Nothing but silence…_

“Rey?” he called out louder, his eyebrows pulling together in a scowl. 

A mumble sounded from behind the closed door, some stumbling could be heard. The shuffle of her feet on the floor grew closer. She unlocked the door and pulled it open wide.  
  


Ben’s mouth gaped as he looked at her.  
  


She was still wearing that little black dress that made him forget his own name. Her make-up was slightly smudged, giving her eyes a sexy smokey look. Her hair was mussed, and it made him think that it would look much the same if he ever got to spend the night with her in his bed. Or anywhere else for that matter. He would run his fingers through those luscious curls, grab it in his fists, maybe even tug on it…

“What?” 

Her voice was hoarse, like she had swallowed a cottonfield. It made him think of sultry nights again, until he caught sight of the ice in her gaze. 

“I… uhm... “ His voice trailed off and he was at a loss for words.  
  


Where to start? He couldn't just blab out ‘I love you’ like he was saying ‘nice weather we’re having, huh?’. 

No, this was Rey. She deserved better. 

“I just wanted to check up on you. See how you’re doing.”

She lifted a single brow in response. 

“I’m fine.” 

Her tone was so chilly, it was a wonder his balls didn’t freeze off. Ben decided he wouldn’t be put off that easily. 

“That’s good to hear.” 

He scratched the back of his neck and looked down at her. She was avoiding eye contact. Ben needed to get down to damage control asap, or he would be screwed and in the doghouse for the rest of his life. 

“Look, Rey,” he started hesitantly as a deep blush tainted his cheeks, “I’m sorry about last night. You were right, I should have stayed out of it.” 

“Yes. You should have.” 

Rey crossed her arms across her chest, emphasizing the deep cut of her dress. The sight almost made his knees buckle and his mouth water.  
  


“Why don’t I make us some coffee? Looks like we could both use a cup and it might make it a little easier to get my apology out the right way.”

Rey glanced up at him and Ben could feel her scepticism radiate from her.  
  


_Oh yeah, I botched up big time…_

“Very well.” she said in a pinched voice. “I’m going to freshen up first.”  
  


Without further ado she pushed past him and headed for the bathroom.  
  


Ben sighed deeply as he stared after her. He tried to summon a positive attitude, but as he saw the way she held herself, he knew he was in deep trouble.

_Yep… definitely in the doghouse._

A few minutes later, Ben had made them both a cup of coffee. Espresso for him, a hazelnut latté for Rey. 

  
He knew she preferred tea, like most Brits, but every now and then she would drink one of those hideous concoctions he didn’t even consider real coffee. Like hazelnut lattés and caramel fraps and that godawful pumpkin spice everything…  
  


Ben would indulge her as long as she was willing to forgive him and hear him out. 

When she walked into the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast bar, she took his breath away.  
  


Her face was scrubbed clean, not a single trace of make-up remained on her face. Her golden complexion and her freckles seemed to make her glow from within. Her chestnut curls had been pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head. Instead of the mouthwatering little black number she had worn yesterday, she was now clad in a light gray tracksuit. 

She had always been beautiful before, but right now… She took his breath away. 

He handed her the latté and Rey simply nodded in acknowledgement. Not a single word left her lips, and she wouldn’t even look at him.  
  


So, he launched into his speech. 

“I am sorry.” 

Her gaze found his, sharp and icy cold. It made fear clutch at his gut once more. 

_I’ve lost her…_

“I was so focused on proving that Hux couldn’t be trusted, that he wasn’t worthy of you, that I didn’t stop to think of how much I would be hurting you in the process.” He frowned and pursed his lips. “I really am sorry. It was a terrible thing to do and if I could take it back, I would.” 

Rey tilted her head and pinned him with a frosty glare. 

“Would you really?” she asked quietly. 

Before he could say another word, she continued in an equally chilly tone.  
  


“Because I honestly don’t think you would. You would go about it differently, but you would still have done it” 

He felt his every fiber protest at this unjust accusation, but he couldn’t get a word in. 

“You would still have gone to great lengths to prove what a cad he is. You would have done whatever you could, manipulate whatever you could to make sure that he would be out of my life. You are nothing but a selfish, unmitigated ass who doesn’t think before he acts. You are too caught up in your own goals and your own sense of righteousness that you do not even stop to consider who or what you destroy in the process.”

Ben pressed his lips together and bit his tongue. If he spoke up now without thinking, he would do even more damage. He had to be calm and collected.  
  


He loved this woman.  
  


More than he thought he ever would love another human being. 

“I regret it,” he insisted. “I should have stayed out of it. I never meant for you to get hurt. I wanted to keep you from getting hurt.”

“Is this the part where you rehash the bit that you claimed last night?” she quipped with narrowed eyes and her arms drawn across her chest. “The part where you claim it was for my own good? Because if there is one thing life has taught me, _Benjamin_ , it’s that no one does anything solely for anyone else’s good. There is no such thing as altruism. Everyone moves from their own perception of right and wrong and how they can benefit from a certain situation. You,” she said as she pointed her finger at him, “wanted Armitage gone. Be damned the reason why, but that was your motivation. And you succeeded.”

“That’s true, but I did it to protect you. Why is that so hard for you to believe?” 

Rey stared at him with a strange look in her eyes. 

“I don’t need your protection. I can handle myself.” 

Ben couldn’t help but grow soft at those words. The venomous way they tumbled from her lips, so intent on making her point. 

“I know you can.” His voice was soft and tender, the look in his eyes matching his tone. “But that doesn’t mean I can stop myself from trying.” 

Rey frowned at him, but Ben could feel it. This was his shot. He had to tell her now. 

“Rey, I care about you. I always have, since we first met. I want nothing but the best for you, and I really mean that. If I could prevent any bad things from happening to you, I would. I’d gladly have them happen to me instead.”

_This is it…_

“Rey, I lo… Oh my God, you’re bleeding!” 

  
  
  


Rey sat there, watching Ben go on and on about how he was trying to protect her, keep her safe, not let bad things happen to her, and all she could feel was rage. 

What the hell was he thinking? He had set up her boyfriend with her boss! That was inexcusable. Did he think she would ever forget that little detail? That she would forgive him for this simply because he felt bad? 

No, he would suffer just as much as she was suffering. As she lived and breathed, he would pay for what he had done to her.  
  


She would have her revenge, dammit! 

Rey felt herself grow a little lightheaded all of a sudden. She blinked and saw stars. There was a painful sort of tension behind her eyes and she frowned.  
  


She heard him say how much he cared, but somehow the words barely registered. Her frown grew more pronounced as the pain behind her eyes grew stronger.  
  
“Rey, I lo… Oh my God, you’re bleeding!” 

Rey looked up at Ben and saw the shock on his face. She sat there, dumbstruck as Ben reached over and grabbed a paper towel. He moved around the counter and gingerly pressed it against her nose.  
  
Irritation coursed through her and she swatted his hand away. She grabbed the paper towel from him and couldn’t stop the words tumbling from her lips.  
  


“Get your hands off of me, I can take care of myself.” 

“I’m just trying to help, Rey.”

“And I am telling you I don’t need your help.” 

Rey quite unceremoniously stuffed the paper towel up her nose, blocking her nostrils effectively. Calm as a cucumber, she reached for her latte and took a sip, refusing to meet his gaze. 

She put the latte down and cocked her head, studying the glass mug and the frothy content. 

“You were saying?” she spoke, her entire demeanor disinterested. 

“Right.” Ben stammered. 

He pursed his lips again, and she hated the fact that she had always loved it when he did that. He looked so adorably flustered.  
  


Her heart gave a small little squeeze.  
  


_Don’t do this. Don’t make me feel those things again._ _  
  
_

She had always had a soft spot for Ben. Not only was he built like a Greek God, but he was a really nice guy too. Sure, he was a bit of a snob and there were times when she was sure he needed anger management therapy, but he had never directed any of that temper her way. And she had had the biggest crush on him when they’d first met. But they soon fell into a comfortable friendship, and when they had agreed to become roommates six months after meeting, she had decided that it would be quite uncomfortable to develop any sort of romantic entanglement with Ben.  
Rey didn’t want to feel those lingering emotions anymore. Especially not now.  
  


After all, she had decided to loathe him for all eternity after the stunt he’d pulled. 

Ben started talking again and Rey really had to focus. Her brain felt as if it was shrouded in thick mist, and she was losing her ability to think. 

“Rey, we’ve been roommates for the past two years. I know I messed up, big time. Just believe me when I say I honestly can’t think of anyone else I would love to live with more than you. Rey, I…” His voice trailed off and he glanced out the window for a second, as if to gather his thoughts. 

Confusion was setting in. Rey couldn’t form a coherent thought, nor could she find a way to respond to what he was saying. She blinked in slow-motion as he continued in a soft voice. 

“Rey, I really lo…” 

_Splat._ _  
_  
Rey’s muddled brain registered his wide eyes filled with surprise and something that was starting to grow inside her as well. Fear. 

_Splat._ _  
_  
She looked down and watched as two large drops of blood stained the white countertop a horribly bright red.  
  
_Splat._ _  
_  
Another one joined it, and Rey heard Ben say something but she couldn’t understand what it was. A loud rumble started in her ears, like the sound of the waves crashing into rocky beaches.  
  


Before she could blink again, Ben was beside her, his warm hand splayed between her shoulder blades. She looked up into his beautiful brown eyes, with those dark lashes.  
  
_So expressive._

  
They were filled with terror at this very moment. Rey could do nothing but blink up at him as he pulled one of the paper towels from her nostrils, and instantly some of the pressure building behind her eyes seemed to dissipate. Something warm and sticky gushed down her face and she could taste the metallic tang of blood on the corner of her mouth.  
  


Ben let out a sharp exhale. 

“Sweet Maker, Rey!” he cried out. “What is going on?” He pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to stop the bleeding. 

The sudden rush of blood and the pressure from his fingers made her even more lightheaded. Rey felt herself sway a little, and for a split second she felt like she would fall off the barstool. 

  
Ben must have noticed. Without much further ado, he pressed his chest to her back to support her. With his other hand he fished out his phone from his back pocket and dialed 911.  
  


Black spots danced in front of Rey’s eyes.  
  


Somewhere in the back of her mind she caught parts of his conversation, but it barely registered. The last thing she heard before she lost consciousness was Ben’s sweet voice. 

“Hold on, sSweetheart. Please, just hold on.”

Then there was nothing but darkness and silence. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Ben was losing it.  
  


After he got off the phone with 911, he dialed Poe. Poe picked up the phone almost instantly. 

“Hey, my Benny-Boy! Did you crash and burn or did you get lucky?” His voice was taunting and confident as always.  
  
“Poe, I need help. Door’s open. Get over here NOW.” 

Something in his voice must have alarmed Poe, because all he replied was ‘Gotcha’. Within what felt like ages but could only have been mere seconds, the sound of the door across the hall opening was heard and his own front door opened. Poe burst in, taking in the sight of Ben sitting on the floor, cradling an unconscious Rey in his arms, covered in blood. 

“What the hell happened?” he asked as he knelt near her, checking her pulse. 

Finn was right behind him, as usual, but froze at the sight before him. 

“I don’t know.” Ben said, his voice breaking. He was dangerously close to tears. He couldn’t afford to break down now, Rey needed him to be strong, so strong was what he’d be dammit! 

“We were talking about last night, I apologized, and I was about to tell her I loved her when her nose started bleeding. She just stuffed paper towels up her nostrils and pretended nothing happened, but then the blood just soaked right through and she fainted.”

“Did you call 911?” 

“Yeah, they’re on their way.” 

“Finn, go to the bathroom and get a washcloth cold and damp. Then go downstairs and wait for the paramedics.” Poe’s voice was no-nonsense and in charge, and something must have clicked just so, because Finn’s response was just as practical.  
  


“Yes, Captain.” 

With those words he headed over to the bathroom. 

Ben was still cradling Rey, pushing some stray strands of hair from her eyes.  
  


Poe was checking some other vitals, his time with the military had made him this down to earth in times of need. 

“Do you know if she has taken anything? Is she on medication?”

“Just her birth control as far as I know.”

“Has she taken any aspirin or anything that might cause her blood to dilute?” 

“No, no,” Ben continued, his brain searching frantically for any detail he might be missing, “she’s healthy as an ox.” 

Finn returned with the washcloth and Poe put it at the back of her neck. Ben held it there, while Poe got up. 

“I’m going to check her room. You said she was pretty upset last night. Maybe she took something.” 

“What?” Ben’s eyes flew up to Poe, anger and disbelief eminent in his gaze. “Rey would _never_ do a thing like that!”  
  


Poe kept his peace, but Ben knew he disagreed with him. The sound of an ambulance was getting closer. 

“Hang on, Sweetheart. Please just hang on,” he whispered.  
  


The blood was still slowly flowing from her nose, the stain on her hoodie growing larger and larger with every passing second.  
  


Fear clawed at his gut, sheer panic and terror trying to take hold of him. 

_I’m losing her._

The thought kept swirling in his mind over and over again as he looked down on her beautiful face. Tears misted his vision and he couldn’t fight them anymore. They slowly slid down his cheeks as he sent up a small prayer to please let her live. 

Everything became one giant blur as the paramedics arrived with Finn in tow. Ben got pushed back out of the way and stood there helplessly watching the woman he loved being tested and checked. Time slowed to a crawl and nothing seemed to register. 

They allowed him to get into the ambulance with them, and he held her hand the entire time, praying to a God he didn’t believe in anymore. 

As soon as they arrived at the ER, they rolled Rey off to surgery and he was left standing in the middle of the hallway, absolutely useless. A kind nurse ushered him into the waiting room and gave him a cup of coffee.  
  


When Finn and Poe arrived, the cup was still in his hands, completely cool and untouched. 

“Hey there buddy.” “How are you holdin’ up?” 

“Can we get you anything?” 

Poe’s voice was softer than it had ever been, and Ben looked up at the pair of them, misery in his eyes. He didn’t say a word. 

“She’ll be fine, Ben.” Finn whispered, almost as if he were afraid to say it.

“How do you know that?” Ben’s voice was gravelly, tears running down his cheeks at a steady pace. “How do you know she’ll be fine? You weren’t there when the bleeding started.” 

“I have to believe that. And so do you.” Finn insisted. “If we lose faith, we’ll have lost already anyway.”

“If she dies….” Something inside him broke down, and his voice reflected it.Ben couldn’t control his desperation anymore. He hung his head and started sobbing. 

Poe walked up to him and sat down on his haunches in front of Ben. 

“Now you listen to me,” he started sternly. “You cannot give up. Do you hear me?” Poe put his finger under Ben’s chin and forced him to look him in the eye. “You cannot give up. Rey needs you now, more than she ever has before. She needs you to keep the faith and believe in her, just like you always have. So get a fucking grip and knuckle down for your woman’s sake.” 

Ben’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. A single tear escaped the corner of his eye, but he didn’t even bother to acknowledge it. Instead, he nodded at Poe and shoved a hand through his hair. 

“You’re right.” he whispered.

“I know.” Poe said softly. “Now, I’m going out into the hall to get something to drink. Need me to get you something?” 

  
Ben shook his head, but Finn asked for a protein bar, saying he needed the sustenance. Poe left with a nod.  
  


“You know, Ben,” Finn started softly, “I really do believe she’ll be fine.”

Ben looked at Finn and saw nothing but sincerity and compassion in his eyes. 

“And what if she’s not? What if she dies?” Ben whispered hoarsely. “The last thing she will have experienced on this earth is me screwing her over.” His expression grew pained as he spoke. “I will never get the chance to say I’m sorry again, or prove it. I’ll never have told her that I love her, that I believe she should be happy, with or without me. That she deserves the world, because she is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Finn clapped him on the shoulder. 

“You’ll get your chance to tell her. I know you will.” 

“How do you know?” Ben asked, despair lacing every word. 

  
Finn smiled mysteriously. 

“An instinct. A feeling. And you should have a little more faith, buddy.” 

At that moment, Poe returned. The three of them shared a look, then sat down together. 

_Let the wait begin…._

  
  
  


Several hours later, the surgeon who had been in charge of the operation walked up to them. 

“Mr Solo?” his deep voice resounded through the small waiting area. 

“Yes?” Ben asked, jumping out of the tiny chair faster than a blaster bolt. 

The doctor gave him a tired smile. 

“I’m happy to tell you that we managed to stabilize Miss Kenobi. She had a lot of internal bleeding, at various points in her body, but the brain hemmorage was the worst one. It took us a while, but we succeeded in stopping the bleeding, although it’s still touch and go. The next few hours are critical, and we’ll have to take it nice and slow for the next couple of days, but I am positive that she’ll be fine.”

Relief poured through Ben’s pores, and it almost made his knees buckle. A deep sigh escaped his lips, before they turned up in the smallest of smiles. 

“Thank you, Doctor.” he breathed. “Can I see her?” 

“Yes, of course you can. Although, there is one more thing I would like to discuss with you.”

Ben’s brow furrowed, but he nodded his head, wordlessly giving the doctor the opportunity to continue. 

“My colleagues and I have taken a moment right after the surgery to determine what might have caused such extensive internal hemorrhaging. However, we were unable to discover the cause so far. Miss Kenobi seems to be in excellent shape, and the scans nor the blood tests indicate anything that would have been the source of such an injury.”  
  


The doctor tilted his head and regarded Ben closely. 

“Do you know if Miss Kenobi was on certain medication? Or perhaps she has been experimenting with certain things?” 

“No!” Ben interrupted him. “No, Rey doesn’t do drugs. She hardly even drinks. The only medication she’s on is her birth control. She watches what she eats, although she does have a weakness for junk food and chocolate at certain points in time, and she exercises regularly. She sleeps a lot, she loves to sleep.” 

His voice trailed off at the end of his rant, unsure of how to continue. 

The doctor took his cue from there. 

“Well, that makes this case even more intriguing. A team of our best physicians are on this. We will continue to see if we can find whatever is causing these bleedings, and will attempt to prevent them from now on. Does she have any relatives? Next of kin? Someone we need to get in touch with?”  
  
“No. She’s an orphan. She doesn’t have any family left.”  
  
The doctor nodded, empathy clear in his eyes. 

“ I’ll let you in to see her now, but I do have to ask you to either limit your interaction or your time.”

“Thank you.” 

Poe grabbed his elbow before he could take a step. 

“Stay with her as long as you need. We’ll go back to the apartment and take care of things. We’ll try to figure out if anything strange happened or if anything’s out of place. We’ll let you know asap. Also, if you need anything, just let us know okay?”

“Thanks Poe. Thanks Finn. I appreciate it a lot.” 

“Anytime.” 

With those words, they left, and Ben was let into Rey’s room. She looked so small and pale, lying in that hospital bed. Ben walked up to her, kissed her forehead and pulled up a chair. As he threaded his fingers with hers, he whispered into the silence. 

“It’s okay, Sweetheart. I’m here. Just hang in there. You’ll be fine.”

He kissed her fingertips and settled into the chair. No matter if it took all night, all week, all month or even the rest of his damned life, he would stay with her for as long as she needed him. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Rey woke up slowly, her vision blurred and the light painful. 

When things cleared up a little, she found herself in a hospital bed. Tubes and IV’s and all kinds of monitors were attached to her in various ways, making it difficult to move. 

She looked around and found Ben asleep in the chair next to the bed, his hand linked with hers. 

Her heart skipped a beat. 

The worry on his face was obvious, even in slumber. Regret coursed through her veins.  
She had loved him once. 

_Who are you kidding, you still do…_

The voice in her head was merciless.  
  


She had enjoyed her time with Hux, and had made herself believe that she had a chance at a happily-ever-after without Ben in her future. She’d made herself believe she’d fallen in love with Armitage, because she desperately wanted to be out of love with Ben.  
But the gods were cruel and fate was vicious.  
  


The more time she spent with Armie, the more obvious it became that he wasn’t Mr Right. That’s why Ben’s taunts had hurt her so much. Because there was so much truth in his words and she was trying to deflect. 

Rey hadn’t lied when she said she hated him. She did hate Ben.  
  


She hated him for being so damned oblivious and ignorant.  
  


She hated him for being so damned perfect.  
  


And she hated him for not loving her back. 

But seeing him here now…  
  


She had to admit that it was probably just her own pain and disillusionment that had driven her to think that way. Because in all honesty, she didn’t hate him at all. She hated herself for loving him when it was pointless. 

A tear escaped the corner of her eye, and she didn’t even have the energy to lift her hand to wipe it away. Rey let out a small grunt of frustration. 

It was enough to wake Ben from his slumber. 

“Rey!” he let out on a sigh. Awake instantly, his every sense was on full alert. Ben scooted forward in his chair and noticed the tear on her face. He crooked his finger and caught it, gingerly wiping it away before tucking a loose strand behind her ear. 

“Maker, woman, you scared the shit out of me,” he said on a choked little laugh. Tears pooled in his eyes and he gave her a bright smile. “How are you feeling?” 

“I’m not sure.” 

He huffed and smiled again and there was such a tender light in his eyes that it took her breath away. She was about to say something when he put his index finger over her lips. 

“Don’t talk. Save your strength. You’ll need it to get out of this place.” 

Rey gave him an exasperated look and spoke anyway. 

“Tired.” 

Ben let out another breathless little laugh and shook his head. 

“What happened?” she asked softly. 

That sobered him right up. His expression closed up and he averted his gaze. 

“I don’t know. We were talking about… you know.” Ben shoved his hand through his hair and looked at the door briefly. “Next thing I knew, you had a massive nosebleed and you passed out. I called 911. Scans showed that you had internal bleeding as well. They operated on you for hours to stop the bleeding but they still don’t know what caused it.” 

Rey’s eyes settled on him and watched misery etched all over his handsome face. 

“Thank you.”

“For what?” 

“Saving my life.”

He smiled sadly at her. He trailed his finger down her cheek and sighed. 

“You’re wrong.” His voice was so soft she had to strain to hear it. “I was saving mine.”

Rey frowned at the cryptical words. 

“What do you mean?”

“Rey, if nothing else, this situation has made it extra clear to me.” 

Rey felt a deep sense of foreboding creep up on her as his words tumbled from his lips so earnestly. He gazed deeply into her eyes and Rey almost got lost in those dark depths. 

“Rey, _you_ are my life. I was trying to tell you before.. I mean... “ 

Rey frowned as pain started to bloom inside her chest, slowly spreading upwards to her throat. 

“I thought I’d lost you.” he ground out through clenched teeth, tears pooling in his eyes. 

Rey’s eyes widened as she was starting to understand what was going on. 

“Rey, the thought of losing you almost made me lose my mind. I realized in that moment that I couldn’t live without you. Rey, I…”

“Ben!” she interrupted him sharply. “Ben, don’t. I need to say something first.” 

The pain grew stronger as she watched his expression grow even softer. Before she knew what was happening, a metallic taste entered her mouth. She coughed and blood splattered everywhere. 

Ben’s face contorted into a semblance of sheer terror. 

“Not again!” he cried out. He pressed the emergency button faster than she could blink. 

“Ben,” Rey gurgled around the blood rapidly filling her mouth, “must… tell you…”

“Sshh, Sweetheart, don’t talk. please, just be quiet.”

He pressed the button again and again, his panic overcoming him like a tidal wave. He was about to run out the door to call a nurse or a doctor, _anyone_ , for help but Rey grabbed his arm with an iron grip. 

Ben” she said again, her voice and her consciousness fading fast. She managed to say one more thing before succumbing to the darkness yet again. 

“Curse.”

  
  
  
  


Mere moments later, Ben stood in the hallway, freaking out, terror making him shake. Doctors and nurses were in Rey’s room, doing what they could to stop this new hemorrhage. 

With trembling hands, he pulled out his phone and dialed Poe, who answered on the first ring. 

“Talk to me, Benny-Boy.”

“Damn, Poe, I’m losing my fucking mind.” Ben blurted out as soon as Poestopped talking. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Poe said, “calm down. What happened?” 

“She woke up and started bleeding again. Poe, _I am losing my fucking mind!_ ” Ben all but shouted, earning himself a few dirty looks from the nurses. 

“Calm down, buddy.” Poe said again. “She’ll be fine. She’s got the best doctors in the city taking care of her.”

“You don’t understand.” Ben bit out. “I was about to tell her I loved her, but then she started bleeding. Again. And before she blacked out, she said the word “curse”. Something isn’t right.” 

“Whoa, back up.” Poe sounded deadly serious instantly. “You were about to tell her you love her and she started bleeding again?”

“Yeah, that’s what I just told you, didn’t I?” 

Alarms suddenly went off inside the room and Ben glanced up instantly. 

  
Rey was going into cardiac arrest…

As he swallowed the bile in the back of his throat, they wheeled her out of the room, a nurse telling him they were going to take her back to the OR.

“Ben, focus on me, buddy, keep your focus on me. You still there?” It worked, because Ben’s attention snapped right back towards his phone. 

“Yeah, I’m still here. Poe…” Ben’s voice broke. “They’re losing her.”

“Ben, I was about to call you myself when you called me. We found something. I’m gonna put the camera on, okay?” 

When Ben didn’t reply, Poe proceeded to turn the call into a video conference. 

“Ben, Finn and I have been here, cleaning up the apartment. We went into Rey’s room and we found this.”

Poe turned the camera around and gave Ben a view of her room. Her bed was a mess, which wasn’t a surprise. Rey was tidy, but not when it came to her bed. She never straightened her sheets, saying it was pointless since she spent most of her spare time between them anyway. The memory brought a bittersweet smile to his face and Ben had to fight the sudden sting of tears. 

The thing that suddenly came into view made his blood run cold. 

On the floor next to her bed stood an incense burner, a candle and a bowl containing ashes with what looked like a burnt picture. Only the eyes and a lock of hair were still discernible. 

_My eyes._

“What the Hell…” he muttered under his breath. 

“And that’s not all.” he heard Finn say. “Her laptop was on the bed, still on and unlocked. take a look at this…”

Finn showed him some of the searches Rey had done and the open tab of some sort of pagan or witchcraft webpage. A curse stood in the center of the page, along with a bunch of instructions. Instructions that matched the scene next to her bed to a T.

“What is going on?” Ben shoved a hand through his hair as the strangest thoughts coursed through his brain. 

“I’m not exactly sure, but everything points in one direction.” Poe’s voice was low and he switched the camera around again so he came into view once more. “Buddy, I think Rey cast a curse on you.” 

Ben’s blood drained from his face as her last word haunted him.

“According to this website she had open on her computer, the curse is meant to punish someone by cursing them, making them lose whatever it is they love most.” 

Realization dawned on him. 

The thing he loved most… was Rey. 

_Fuck._

“What do we do now?” Finn’s voice was hushed.

“I don’t know. It’s not like I can stop loving her just like that.” 

“I don’t believe in this nonsense myself, but this is more than just coincidence.” Poe ran his hand over his face as he spoke.

“Does the website say how to break the curse?” 

“No, it doesn’t.” Finn’s voice sounded grim. “But I know someone who might know.” 

Poe and Ben both looked at him, their eyes full of expectation.

“Maz.” 

“Call her. Get back to me as soon as you can. Send her here if you must, find out whatever it takes to get this over with. I have to go.”

“We’ll get right back to you buddy.” 

Ben hung up the phone and tried to calm his raging nerves. 

A curse? To hurt him by taking away what he loved most? 

He glanced in the direction they had taken Rey, feeling more helpless than he ever had before. Because if this was real, if this curse was real, he was going to have to find a way to stop loving her.  
  


She was his whole world. And she needed to be happy. 

He paced the floor, unable to sit still. He needed to do something, anything, to take his mind off the fact that Rey was dying because he loved her... 

  
  
  


A couple of hours later, Ben wondered how it was possible that he still had hair. He’d been shoving his hands through it, even pulling on his locks, trying to keep himself sane. 

He got up and walked down the hallway towards the waiting room where they had a coffee machine. He was just about to add his coins when he was brought up short. 

“Ben Solo!” a voice boomed through the waiting room and he would recognize that voice anywhere. He looked up and surely, there she was.  
  


Ben lifted his hand in greeting. 

“Hey Aunt Maz.” 

He got his cup of horrible coffee and walked up to her, kissing her tiny hand as he had been taught by his parents. The petite woman looked him up and down and then launched into her speech without further ado. 

“Finn and Poe called me. You are right back in the mess.” 

Ben averted his eyes as shame and guilt overwhelmed him. But he needed to grow a pair. For Rey, he would do anything, even set aside his own pride, if that was what it would take. 

“Can you help?” 

“The boys showed me what she cast.” Maz said softly as she led him into a secluded corner. “That is no childsplay. I’m surprised it even worked. That was some powerful magic she was tinkering with.” Maz clucked her tongue and shook her head. “The internet is a dangerous place. This sort of thing should not be out there for all to see.”

Ben frowned. 

“What do I do?” He sounded weak and defeated, even to his own ears. “If something happens to her, Aunt Maz…” His voice trailed off and he couldn’t fight the tears from blurring his sight anymore than he could stop the sun from rising. 

“There’s nothing you can do, kiddo.” Maz’s voice sounded infinitely sad. “This curse can only be revoked by Rey herself. You’re lucky she didn’t manage to burn the entire picture, or she would have been gone by now.”

Her words pierced Ben’s heart. 

“I’ll leave. I’ll get as far away from her as I can. If I never tell her, if I get over her, she’ll be fine, right?” 

Despair laced his every word, and Maz took pity on him. 

“That’s not how it works either.” She sat down and sipped the coffee she had somehow pilfered from him. 

“Then how?” 

“Rey needs to want to revoke the curse. She needs to realize how you feel about her, without you telling her. She needs to decide that you do not deserve her wrath, and she needs to do it by herself.”

Ben sighed and shoved a hand through his hair again. 

“So I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t?”

Maz gave him a small smile. 

“Something like that. You’re cursed. Not exactly the same, but close enough.”

Ben looked at her and admired this tough little lady and her tenacity. He would have laughed at her words and her view on the situation, had it not been so dire. He sighed as despair cloaked him once again. 

“Will you keep me company for a while?” Ben asked, afraid to meet her piercing gaze. “I don’t think I’ll manage on my own.” 

Maz touched his hand.

“Sure thing, kiddo.” 

  
  
  


Another two hours later, the doctor found them once again. He basically rehashed the same he had before.  
  


_Yes, we managed to stabilize Miss Kenobi’s bleeding. No, we do not know what caused it. We will continue to monitor her vitals and are ready to respond should anything else occur. We are still consulting with our experts to find a cause and a solution for this mysterious problem._

Ben and Maz shared a look, but kept their peace. They simply thanked the man. Only one of them was allowed to be with Rey, and Maz insisted that Ben should stay with her. He asked her what he was supposed to do, and she said he was allowed to do and say anything, as long as it didn’t include professing his undying love for her in any obvious ways.  
She did state that he was allowed to touch her and show her affection on a normal level, just not take it to extreme or romantic measures or it would cause Rey to bleed out again.

So, Ben found himself sitting by Rey’s side once again, folded in that tiny chair, cursing the designer who was probably 5’2” and laughing at all the tall people who would have to be folded in half just to be able to sit in the chair.  
  


Ben was holding Rey’s hand when she woke up briefly. 

“Ben?” she croaked. 

Ben instantly sat up. He looked down on her pale face, grimacing at the way her freckles stood out against the unnatural pallor of her usually golden features. The eyes he loved so dearly, with their golden and green flecks, were dull and unfocused, dark smudges beneath them.  
  


She looked so frail that it made his chest hurt and his need to protect her at all costs almost made him roar. 

“Hey Sweetheart!” he said with a small smile. “You need to stop doing that.”  
  


His words made the corners of her lips twitch, and a tiny sparkle shone in her eyes. 

“Why? I thought you...liked... my flair ...for drama?”

Ben let out a small laugh. It was unexpected and came out a little choked, but it made Rey smile anyway. 

“Yeah, well, there’s always taking it too far.” he continued with humor in his voice. His expression grew serious in a millisecond. “Just don’t do it again, okay?”

Rey nodded and looked up into his face.  
  


He was wearing his heart on his sleeve, for Rey could see his worry and his affection in his entire demeanor. She’d be able to see it, even if she were blind. 

Her brain was starting to go blank again, she could feel the edges fading away.  
  


“I’m sorry.” she whispered. 

“What on earth are you sorry for?” he asked her, his brow furrow. “Just go to sleep, Sweetheart. We’ll talk about it later.”

He kissed her hand again and Rey closed her eyes. Ben rubbed her knuckles with his thumb and the sensation slowly lulled her into sleep. 

  
  
  
  


When morning came, Rey awoke feeling much better. Until she caught sight of Ben folded into that tiny chair like a pretzel. He looked distinctly uncomfortable, but he was still asleep so either he was really tired, or he wasn’t as bad off as it seemed. 

Guilt washed over her as some of the events of the days before came back to her. 

She had cursed him in a moment of red hot rage, punishing him for pushing Armie away.She had cast a spell to make him suffer as she had, to make him lose whatever he loved most. Rey was an intelligent woman, perhaps even more so than the average Jane Doe in the streets, and she soon connected the dots between her hemorrhage and Ben’s offhanded attempts at telling her how he felt.

Apparently, what he loved most was her.

Fool me once, Shame on you. Fool me twice, Shame on me.

_Or rather fool me once, curse on you. Fool me twice curse on me._

What a crazy distorted situation she was in. By trying to get back at Ben, she had gotten back at herself. This whole situation had backfired and there was nothing she could do about it. 

As she lay there on that hospital bed something dawned on her.  
  


Ben loved her.  
  


He loved her more than anything else in this world _._

_He loves me._

And because he loved her, she might very well end up dead. Because that was what she had brought upon herself. 

Rey tried to lift her arm to push her hair from her face, but she couldn’t. She just didn’t have the energy. 

What a mess… 

She hadn’t even considered the chance of the spell working. Wasn’t witchcraft supposed to be a hoax? Something made up by the faint of heart, or by the mighty to scare and suppress those who were beneath them? 

_Obviously not…_

Rey let out a sigh and was about to close her eyes when movement caught her attention. 

The door to her room opened and a familiar face entered. 

“Hey there kiddo.” 

Maz’s smile was gentle, and Rey felt her agitation fade away by the sight of that little old lady. 

Rey tried to smile back. 

“Hey Maz.” Her voice croaked, barely audible, but Maz had heard. She put her finger on her lips, indicating that Rey shouldn’t try to talk. 

“You’ve really done it this time, haven’t you?”

Rey frowned at the reprimand and was about to object when she saw the understanding in Maz’s big eyes, emphasized by the thick glasses. 

“Poe and Finn told me.” She said matter-of-factly, responding to Rey’s unspoken question. 

“You left your laptop open. When they told me what they found, I knew it was bad.” 

Maz walked up to the bed and pulled up the chair. She sat down, ignoring her aching bones as she gave Rey a thoughtful glance. 

“I take it you had no idea what you were doing when you cast that curse, did you?” 

Rey couldn’t speak for the life of her, so she just shook her head. 

“I figured as much.” Maz replied with a deep sigh. How did you pull it off?” 

“I don’t know.” Rey whispered. “I was just so angry.”

Maz let out a sound that could have meant anything. 

“You’re lucky, little one,” she stated dryly. “If the entire picture had been burnt, you would be dead right now. However, somehow the flames missed the eyes. That is what has kept you alive.”

“How do you know these things?” 

Maz let out a little chuckle. 

“If you live long enough, you see the same eyes in different people. You see different people making the same mistakes over and over. And you learn a thing or two along the way,” she said, smiling mysteriously all the time. “Also, my mother was the Jedi in our tribe. She taught me all she knew.” 

Rey’s mouth formed a perfect O before she gave a small nodd. 

“Maz…” Rey started, but had to stop and take a few deep breaths as fatigue was slowly taking over again, “Can this curse be undone?” 

Maz gave Rey a sad look and took Rey’s hand in her much smaller ones. 

“It can. But it won’t be easy. And I can’t tell you what to do. You need to decide how to handle this on your own. All I can do is to be here for you.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Rey whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek. “Something inside of me has always been there. But now it’s awake. And I don’t know what to do with it. And I’m afraid.” 

Maz smiled with comprehension and empathy plastered all over her face. 

“I know, little one. But you mustn’t be scared. You already know the truth. The answers have been inside of you all along.” 

Rey looked up at this tiny little woman, who was considered crazy and strange by most people, but who was so incredibly wise it should be illegal. She lowered her gaze, unable to stand that sweet, understanding look in the old woman’s dark eyes, made impossibly large by those thick glasses. 

“I cursed him to lose whatever he loved most. And by doing so,it seems I cursed myself.” 

The admission was barely audible, so softly had it been spoken. Another tear slipped down her cheek. 

“How can I undo this curse, without the universe thinking that I’m doing this for myself? Without the Force believing that taking back that curse is only to save my own hide?”

Maz cackled loudly. 

“You have to give the Force a little more credit, dear. I am no Jedi, but I know the Force. It moves through and surrounds every living thing. Close your eyes. Feel it. The Light… it has always been there. It will guide you.”

Rey closed her eyes and let out a weak sigh. 

“Now, you must rest, dear child. Your path will become clear to you when you rest.”  
  


Maz leaned over and kissed her forehead and before long, Rey drifted off to sleep again.  
  


  
  
  
  


Rey had needed to stay in the hospital for almost a week before she was allowed to be discharged. They had wanted to be sure she would not have more internal bleeding, and had searched in vain to find the source.  
  


Ben visited with her every day, stayed with her as long as he was allowed. He did not speak of his feelings, nor did she. It seemed as if he was trying to stay as aloof and detached as he could. Rey tried to do the same, but she could not look at Ben quite the same as she did before.  
  


To know he loved her most of all… 

It boggled her mind.  
  


Whenever she was alone, her mind kept rehashing every single moment that had transpired between them these past two years. Especially her own inability to see how he felt about her rocked her to her very core. She only now realized details that could have indicated his feelings for her.  
  


He’d never gotten along with any of the guys she’d introduced him to. He’d always been tense and in an overall bad mood whenever she went out on a date.  
  


He always knew when she needed a pick-me-up, and anticipated them. Ben knew so many little things she liked or disliked. What kind of toothpaste she used, or her brand of tampons and pads, her favorite flower and her favorite foods. He always made sure he had tissues on hand when they watched movies together, because she was an emotional mess every time. 

The feelings she’d once had for him, the ones she’d buried when she’d moved in with him, resurfaced with a vengeance. 

How cruel the fates were…  
  
Ben was the one who brought her home. He made sure she was comfortable, made sure she had everything she needed within an arm’s length and that he was within earshot, should she need anything. He got her prescription drugs and made sure she took them as the doctors instructed. But he barely spoke to her. 

  
She’d never felt so alone in her life.  
  


When Monday came around and Ben had to go back to work, Rey stayed home alone.  
She wandered around the apartment without purpose, haunted by her own conscience.  
  


How could she have cursed him the way she had?  
  


Her guilt had nothing to do with the fact that it had turned out she was the object of his affection. No, it had to do with the fact that she was all too aware of the fact that he was a genuinely good and decent guy. The kind of guy who girls would jump at given half a chance.  
  


Ben had done what he had thought was the right thing and she, aided by her wounded pride, had turned on him. She had sought revenge for her brittle ego instead of seeing things the way they actually were.  
  


When it was lunchtime she received a text, asking her if she’d eaten and if she had taken her meds. She realized once more how incredibly lucky she was to have him in her life, and how utterly wrong she had been in casting that curse.  
  


She texted him back, then went in search of the lunch and meds he had prepared for her. After that, she pulled up her laptop and started searching for ways to undo the curse. Maz had told her she would know what to do and she had to trust in that.

Rey scrolled through several websites, none of which had the results she was looking for. 

By sheer dumb luck, she ended up on the website that had shown her the curse in the first place. Something prompted her to look at the FAQ’s and sure enough, there it was… 

_  
_ **_“Can these curses be undone? If so, how?”_ **

_“Yes, most curses can be undone. However, it needs to be undone with the purest of intentions. Click on the link below to learn more about how to undo curses.”_

Rey immediately clicked on the link and started reading.  
  


She scanned the pages and realized that she needed to prepare well for this.  
  


According to this website, she needed to cast the spell on a Friday, which was the perfect day for all things related to love in one form or another. She would need pink candles and incense and a new picture. But most of all, she would need to think her words through. She would have to craft her own spell, and undo all the damage her curse had done to him. And it would have to be done with a pure heart.  
  


It took her several days to come up with something she was happy with. A spell that managed to portray her feelings well enough to hopefully lift the curse she had put on Ben.  
  


Ben, on the other hand, was clearly avoiding her.  
  


He still took care of her, making sure she had her meds on time, that there was food for her and that she wanted for nothing, but he stayed holed up in his room most of the time. He didn’t spend time with her like he used to. 

On Friday morning, she finally managed to talk to him. 

“Hey Ben.” 

The surprise on his face would have been funny if it didn’t make Rey’s heart feel like crumpling into a million pieces. 

“Morning.” 

He quickly looked away and muttered under his breath. 

“How are you today?” Rey asked softly, eager to interact with him. Ben didn’t look at her. 

“I’m fine.” He took his bag and his coat and was already on his way to the door. “I’m running late, so if you don’t mind…” His voice trailed off as he reached for the doorknob but Rey’s words halted him. 

“Ben, wait! Please?” 

He still didn’t look at her, but he waited at the door, his back to her. 

“I just wanted to ask you something before you go, if that’s okay?” 

“Sure, what is it?” He sounded impatient, making Rey’s heart ache even more. 

She fiddled with the hem of her oversized T-shirt.  
  


“Why don’t you go over to Finn and Poe’s tonight? Have a few drinks? Like you used to? I’ll be fine.”

His head whipped around and he glared at her. 

“You’re not going to try something funny again, are you?”

Rey let out a little laugh but couldn’t meet his gaze. 

“No, I promise I won’t try anything funny.” 

“I mean it, Rey.” He sounded so stern, and the look in his eyes would have been able to wither a cactus.  
  


She felt her stomach do a little flip.  
  


“You’ve been so busy lately, with work and taking care of me. I just figured you could use some time off.”

Ben stared at her for what felt like an eternity before nodding once.  
  


“I’ll think about it. Now I really need to go, or I’ll be late.” 

Rey gave him a weak little smile. 

“Okay. Have fun at work.”

Ben lifted his hand in greeting and then ran out the door like the hounds of Hell were on his heels.  
  


Rey stood in the middle of the hallway, staring after him, feeling forlorn. She hugged herself and went inside, settling on the couch and staring out the window. 

Tonight, she would set things right. She had to have faith in herself.  
  


  
  


The day stretched on forever. Rey got a text from Ben over lunch, reminding her to take her meds and telling her that he would, in fact, be going over to Poe and Finn that night. They would order pizza, and he wanted to know if she wanted one as well.  
  


A huge smile played about her lips as she replied that she would find something to eat in the freezer, telling him to have fun. 

She filled the hours with mindless scrolling on the internet.  
  


When sunset came, Rey was finally ready.  
  


She dressed in a white flowy dress and left her hair unbound. She made a tiny altar out of the coffee table in the living room and made sure everything was in place. The pink candles, the incense, the picture. She’d even managed to get some flowers and some fresh rose petals. Rey arranged everything harmoniously and looked down at it with a smile.  
  


She sat down and just as the sun kissed the horizon, lit the candles and the incense. She took a deep breath and filled her heart with all the peace and love she could muster. Rey then softly but insistently spoke the words she had been practising for days. 

_Dear Goddess, I call upon thee, hear my cry._ _  
_ _Regret and sorrow fill my heart_ _  
_ _Words spoken with hate and spite in a moment of rage have caused harm to a sweet soul._ _  
_ _One who is undeserving of such wrath._ _  
_ _I call upon the powers that be to undo what I have done._ _  
_ _To free Benjamin Organa-Skywalker Solo from the punishment I have unjustly thrust unto him._ _  
_ _Make his heart full of joy_ _  
_ _May he never suffer again. May his spirits be lifted._ _  
_ _May he be granted a life of love and laughter and be kept safe from harm._ _  
_ _Can you hear my prayer?_ _  
_ _Then mote it be._

Rey then acted on pure instinct.  
  


She took the incense and let the fragrant smoke flow over Ben’s picture, all the while thinking of his sweet face. She took a few of the rose petals and lit them on fire in the small dish she had prepared, using the pink candles. She inhaled the heady scent and repeated her words again and again. 

Rey grew lightheaded but she refused to let her focus stray. Her spell became a mantra. The fire from the rose petals died down and Rey dipped her fingers in the ashes and drew a line down her forehead and down Ben’s forehead on the picture.  
  


Before she knew what happened, the world went dark and she passed out on the floor. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Ben came back late from Finn and Poe’s. They had a few beers and talked about a number of things. Rey was off topic, as was the events of the past week. They spoke of work and new games and everything else in between.  
  


They talked about that camping trip that they’d been planning for the past two years but were never going to actually take and about getting new hobbies that they were never going to stick to. He’d eventually excused himself, saying he didn’t feel right leaving Rey alone for too long and headed over to his own apartment.  
  


The moment he stepped across the threshold, he knew something was wrong.  
  


The scent of incense and potpourri lingered in the air. Fear clawed at his gut and his heart stopped beating for a few seconds, only to return its pounding at double speed.  
  


_Rey._

His large strides ate the distance between the hallway and Rey’s room. The smell of incense grew stronger as he neared her door and his worry increased.  
  


He knocked on the door and said her name, but there was no response. Without any further hesitation, he pushed open the door.  
  


His blood ran cold at the sight before him.  
  


There she was, lying on the floor, in front of another altar-like set up. His picture, the remnants of incense and potpourri and a bunch of rose petals were obvious signs of her dabbling with whatever witchcraft she was tampering with.  
  


“Not again,” he muttered under his breath. “Rey?” 

In a flash, he was by her side, scooping her up in his arms. Panic stole his voice and he ended up shaking her. He checked her pulse and breathed a sigh of relief as he felt one strong and clear at the base of her throat. She was obviously unconscious, not dead.  
  
She had some sort of marking on her forehead, from Maker knows what. It looked like soot or ash; but unlike last time she now had a small smile curving her lips. 

He shook her again, and somehow managed to croak out her name.  
  


“Rey, Sweetheart, please wake up,” he whispered. 

Tears gathered in his eyes and he hated himself for it. He couldn’t keep himself from loving her, no matter how much he tried. 

He gathered her close and pulled her limp body close to him. He pushed the hair out of her face, tucking it neatly behind her ear and let his fingers skim down her cheek. 

Much to his surprise, she let out a small moan.  
  


Her eyes fluttered and before he knew what happened, he was staring into her beautiful hazel eyes. It became even more incredible when she reached up and cupped his cheek. 

“Ben.” 

His name was said on a contented sigh, the sound of her voice husky and sweet. It stirred deep emotions within him, ranging from happiness to desire to absolute terror. He needed to be cool about it though.  
  


“What have you been up to again? 

She grinned up at him, her cheeky expression infectious.  
  


“That depends.” 

Ben chuckled despite himself. 

“On what?” 

Rey’s expression grew slightly more serious.  
  


“On whether or not it worked.”

Her thumb stroked his cheek lazily as she gazed up at him solemnly. 

“I never should have cursed you.” Tears gathered in her eyes and her lower lip started trembling. “I was just so angry,” she whispered hoarsely.  
  


“Ssshhh,” Ben crooned. “It’s okay, Rey. I get it.” 

“It’s not okay. It wasn’t and it never will be. You were trying to protect me from getting hurt. Even if you did go about it completely wrong, you never deserved to be cursed. I should never have gone that far.”

“And I never should have gone to those extremes to show you that Hux was just a piece of…”  
  


“Ben.” Rey interrupted him sharply. 

“Fine.” He sighed deeply. 

Her thumb ran across his lower lip, making his gaze snap up to meet hers. 

“Rey…” He started, but couldn’t finish his sentence.  
  


“Ben,” Rey said softly, taking a deep breath before continuing, “tell me how you feel.”

Ben started shaking his head and tried to get away from her, but Rey would have none of it.She moved quickly and straddled him, pinning him in place. 

If the situation had been any different, she would have laughed at the frightened look on his face.  
  


“Please Ben,” she whispered. “Tell me how you feel.” 

“No.”

“Why not?”  
  


“What if you…” He let his words trail off and refused to look at her.  
  


Rey smiled sadly. Ben was probably traumatized. She would have to go first.  
  


“I fell in love with you the night we met, approximately half a second after you smiled at me. I had hoped to somehow make you fall in love with me too, but it never happened. And then when I moved in, I just…” She sighed. “Things were so good between us, I figured I didn’t want to risk losing what I had.”  
  


Ben looked absolutely stupefied.

“You… you fell in love with me?” 

Rey made a face as she lifted her shoulders.  
  


“It is kind of hard not to, you know, you are rather amazing,” she said impishly. “Your turn.”  
  


Ben swallowed slowly, fear creeping in his eyes again.  
  


“What if you bleed again?”  
  


“Then you take me to the hospital again.”  
  


Rey watched as his mouth trembled, then pursed. Ben raked a hand through his hair slowly and stared at her with hesitation for what felt like hours. With something akin to pure terror evident in his handsome features, he started talking slowly. 

“I don’t usually smile at people I just met.”  
  


Rey frowned, but kept her tongue as he haltingly continued.  
  


“I liked you. The moment I saw you, I knew…” he trailed off and glanced up at the ceiling, taking a deep breath. When his eyes met hers again, he seemed to have found his courage. 

“I fell hard and fast, Rey. I fell hard and fast, and there was nothing I could do to save myself. I’ve never felt like this before, not with anyone.” Ben shook his head, never once glancing away from her. His eyes were dark, intense and piercing. He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles.  
  


_So far, so good._  
  


“I never once believed I had a chance with you. You were too young, too beautiful, too vibrant to ever want something with me. And I was afraid. I was scared to death to lose you by overstepping. And I would rather have you in my life as a friend than not have you in it at all. So I held back. But shit, Rey. Watching you go out with other men was almost the death of me.”  
  


“You should have told me sooner,” she whispered as a single tear slid down her cheek.  
  


Ben wiped at it with his thumb.  
  


“I’m telling you now. I love you, Rey. I always have.” 

He stilled completely, watching her with fearful eyes. But to his surprise, nothing happened.  
  


Rey’s lips slowly turned into a smile.  
  


“Say it again,” she whispered.  
  


“I love you.” He sounded hesitant, as if he was still cautious to say it out loud.  
  


Again, nothing happened.  
  


He watched as Rey closed her eyes and smiled like she did when she was savoring a specific morsel of exquisite food. She even hummed slightly.  
  


When she opened her eyes and gazed back at him, there was nothing but pure and unbridled affection shining in those hazel depths.  
  


He pursed his lips, as he always did when he was nervous and emotional. Without much tact, he spoke out rather loudly. 

“How do you feel?”

Rey’s smile turned radiant.

“Like I have been revived.” She let out a delighted giggle. “I have never been better!”  
She put her hand on his cheek and smiled at him, tears of joy pooling in her eyes. “Ben,” she said softly, lovingly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tears blurred his own vision as he looked into the face of the woman he had loved for the longest time. All the pent-up feelings of the past two years, the despair of the last week and the hopelessness that now had been lifted off his shoulders combined into one big ball of emotion that clogged his chest and throat. He cupped her neck with his large hand, slowly letting his finger toy with the soft tendrils at her nape.  
  


Before he could even say her name, her lips crashed into his.  
  


The shock that went through both of them at this first kiss was startling.  
  


As if someone had dropped a blow dryer into the bathtub. As if they had been struck by lightning. It felt right.  
  


They broke the kiss abruptly, both erupting in a bout of joyous laughter.  
  


“If this is the reward, I should have cursed you sooner.” 

Rey’s words brought on another round of laughter, their lips meeting again in a heated kiss.  
Ben got up and picked her up, carrying her to her bed ever so gently.  
  


They spent hours there, cuddling and talking and making out, trying to catch up on the years they had lost because of their own inability to overcome their pride and shyness. 

When morning came, they simply crawled beneath the covers, wrapped in each other's embrace.  
  


Before she drifted off to sleep, Rey muttered beneath her breath. 

  
“Fool me once, curse on you. Fool me twice, blessings on me…”

**_The end_ **

**Author's Note:**

> Dear Reader, 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this story.  
> If you did, please don't hesitate to leave me a comment or kudos. I promise I'll get back to each and every one of you, even if it may take a while. 
> 
> Have a great day! And stay safe! 
> 
> X  
> B


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